How do Eastern Catholics celebrate Christmas? Does it vary a lot between, say, Ukrainian and, say Maronite, or are they similar? Coptic Catholic? I just have to think there are both differences and things held in common.

I'm a Latin guy, and I would truly love to know.

Last edited by Catherine Grant; Dec 16, '07 at 10:55 am.
Reason: split from another thread

My son-in-law is Maronite and they do pretty much the same things we do. He said that when he was a kid there was more emphasis on the religious aspect but that could be said of almost any church. I have been to a Christmas Eve service with them and most of the service was is Arabic, which I of course did not understand, and the mass was about 2 1/2 hours long. There were 4 or 5 priest plus their bishop so it was very formal. He said in Lebanon they ate fish on Christmas Eve but it was the best they could afford and lots of it. They opened their gifts after getting home from mass of Christmas Eve and Santa had come while they were at mass. He brought only 1 or 2 gifts, they got gifts from parents, friends and relatives for the 12 days of Christmas but they were small gifts. He did not know if this was just his family tradition due to finances or it was what all Maronites did. Now that they live in America they usually attend a Latin Rite mass due to the distance to the Maronite Church. If they are in boston for Christmas they do attend the Maronite service on Christmas Eve but if they are here in Illinois they go to our Latin Rite service with us. I know this was not a lot of info, perhaps one of our Eastern Rite members will see this and give you more detailed answers.

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1. A fast, traditionally of 40 days before (though some jurisdictions have shortened it).

2. The Preparation (Paramony) of the Nativity starts on 20 December (at Vespers on 19 December) with services deliberately modeled after those of Holy Week.

3. On 24 December come the Royal Hours (the Little Hours dressed up with special hymn, Prophecy, Epistle, and Gospel), the Vesperal Liturgy, and then the Vigil (usually made of Great Compline and Matins) the night before.

Before Vigil, as a custom of domestic piety comes the Holy Supper or Shepherd's supper. This is a vegan meal (some practices allow fish as well) eaten after the first star comes out.

4. The Liturgy of Christmas is properly celebrated in the day.

5. The Sunday after Christmas is the commemoration of St. James, Prophet David, and St. Joseph. In many churches the Liturgy of St. James is celebrated on this day.

Among the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholics, the Christmas Holyday starts with the appearance of the 1st star. It is the job of the youngest member of the household to look for the star.

All the adults have been busy preparing the Svati Vecer or Holy Supper. This is a meat-less meal that is eaten in every household. The meal varies from family to family but usually goes something like this:

A white table cloth is placed on the table. Under this, straw has been scattered to represent the manger where the Infant Jesus was placed.

On the table, a round loaf of bread was placed with a candle in the middle. The candle is lit and represents Christ as the light of the World. The loaf of bread is the staff of life.

As the family sits down to dinner, the door is cracked and an empty place is left at the table. This is for the Holy Family journeying on their way to Bethlehem, to let them know that there is room for them in this house. It is said the empty place is for loved ones and friends who visit from the other world during this time of year.

The meal starts with a prayer followed by eating of a piece of bread smeared with honey and a clove of garlic. The bread symbolizes life and the honey and garlic is everything that is sweet and bitter in life.

Next comes the soup made of mushrooms and sauerkraut. Many families also add babalky, round pieces of bread about the size of a marble.

After the soup, there are dishes of fish, so the meal is meat-less, prunes with pits in them (always a pair so the family will be together the next year), pirohy of various kinds followed by fruits, pastries, nuts, cookies and candy.

The meal ends with a prayer and families get ready to attend either the Great Compline or Divine Liturgy.

In many households, all persons sitting at the Svati Vecer wear shoes. Shoes, in the old country, were a sign of being wealthy. To be barefoot was a sign of being poor and because we are receiving the Infant Jesus, we are rich!

In other homes and villages, heavy chains are tied around the table legs so that the bounty found on the table for the Svati Vecer will remain all year long.

Some villages and homes will eat the Svati Vecer sitting on the floor to remind them of the poverty of the Holy Family.

In other villages, there are 12 courses to the meal to remember the Holy Apostles.

You will find the same or similar customs in Poland, Ukraine and Hungary.

One friend, who is Ukrainian, eats a dish called KUTIJA, which is made of boiled grains and honey. One the traditions followed by his family is for everyone to take a small spoonfull of the KUTIJA and flip it on the ceiling. It's supposed to stay there until it falls off. It's supposed to bring good luck in the New Year.

Do any Eastern Catholics celebrate Christmas on January 7 like the Eastern Orthodox do?

It depends on which ones you're talking about and where they live.

Ruthenian Eastern Catholics in the US & Canada celebrate on December 25th.

Ukrainian Eastern Catholics are divided into Old Calendar and New Calendar parishes. In the US, the vast majority are New Calendar parishes and celebrate on the 25th. The Old Calendar parishes will celebrate on January 7th.

In the "Old Country", meaning Slovakia and Ukraine, those living in Slovakia celebrate on the 25th and those living in Ukraine celebrate on the 7th.

I've also heard that Latin Rite Catholics living in Russia celebrate on January 7th so as to celebrate with the rest of the population but I can't confirm this....

Ruthenian Eastern Catholics in the US & Canada celebrate on December 25th.

Ukrainian Eastern Catholics are divided into Old Calendar and New Calendar parishes. In the US, the vast majority are New Calendar parishes and celebrate on the 25th. The Old Calendar parishes will celebrate on January 7th.

In the "Old Country", meaning Slovakia and Ukraine, those living in Slovakia celebrate on the 25th and those living in Ukraine celebrate on the 7th.

I've also heard that Latin Rite Catholics living in Russia celebrate on January 7th so as to celebrate with the rest of the population but I can't confirm this....

Hope this helps....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Melkite

Melkites in the old country not uncommonly celebrate by the Old Calendar; in the diaspora, there are a couple of parishes which do so.

If they are in boston for Christmas they do attend the Maronite service on Christmas Eve but if they are here in Illinois they go to our Latin Rite service with us.

Lance,

I'm guessing from this that your son-in-law is a parishioner at Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon in Jamaica Plain. If so, next time you're in Boston visiting, drive a mile beyond Cedars and attend Divine Liturgy at the Melkite Cathedral; I'm sure that Father Lahoud wouldn't mind at all if your son-in-law were to worship at their sister parish on a single Sunday

I'm guessing from this that your son-in-law is a parishioner at Our Lady of the Cedars of Lebanon in Jamaica Plain. If so, next time you're in Boston visiting, drive a mile beyond Cedars and attend Divine Liturgy at the Melkite Cathedral; I'm sure that Father Lahoud wouldn't mind at all if your son-in-law were to worship at their sister parish on a single Sunday

Many years,

Neil

Thanks, maybe we will do it this summer. They will be here for Christmas this year. I am picking them up at Midway tonight, their flight has been delayed 2 hours, hope they make it tonight as tomorrow (24th) is my grandsons 3rd birthday.

__________________
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.' That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.'